Country’s procurement system flawed, needs to be reformed - Mahipaul

Country’s procurement system flawed, needs to be reformed – Mahipaul

Aug 04, 2024 News

Kaieteur News – Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Ganesh Mahipaul is of the view that Guyana’s current procurement system is highly flawed and needs to be reformed.

Opposition Member of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul

Mahipaul, an Executive Member of the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) raised his concerns in a statement to the press, where he highlighted a need for amendments to Guyana’s procurement system are to ensure fairness and competitive bidding.

The Opposition MP noted that when bid evaluations do not adhere strictly to the established criteria, it undermines the fairness of the process and results in contracts being awarded to less qualified bidders and in some cases unqualified bidders.

He opined that this lends to the activities of favoritism and corruption in the current system.

“The current system, governed by the Procurement Act of 2003, has demonstrated significant flaws, particularly in the roles of the Evaluation Committee and the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).

The NPTAB is composed solely by government appointees, creating potential conflicts of interest and undermining impartiality,” he said.

Mahipaul is of the view that the Evaluation Committee must adhere strictly to bid evaluation criteria and select the Lowest Evaluated/Responsive Bidder based on submitted documentation.

“The Government often justifies current inefficiencies by referring to past practices. While understanding historical context is important, it should not excuse ongoing problems simply because what is happening now is worse than what happened in the past,” he stated.

To ensure transparency, the MP related that immediate and proactive solutions are needed.

To this end, he suggested that at least three of the seven members of the NPTAB should be nominated by the Parliamentary Opposition and be individuals who have proven integrity and expertise in business, law, finance, audit, and administration.

“This change would promote impartiality and enhance public confidence in the procurement process,” the MP stated.

To further ensure a smooth flow of the procurement process, Mahipaul disclosed that proper training and adherence to clear guidelines are essential to ensure accuracy and fairness in the evaluation process.

Further, he stated that immediate amendments to the Procurement Act are necessary to address these issues and align with best practices, noting this will provide a solid foundation for a more transparent and effective procurement system.

“I therefore call on the Government to move beyond justification and take decisive action to reform our procurement system. By implementing these recommended changes, we can ensure that contracts are awarded fairly and executed by competent contractors, benefiting all Guyanese people,” the MP expressed.

Mahipaul has previously highlighted procurement breaches in the award of the $865 million contract by NPTAB to contractor TEPUI.

It was reported in the media that the contract awarded to the company affiliated with Mikhail Rodrigues, popularly known as “Guyanese Critic, was the subject of an investigation by Public Procurement Commission (PPC) after complaints were raised that the contractor failed to meet the technical requirements for the project.

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Ganesh Mahipaul, Opposition Member of Parliament, People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), process, procurement

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